Rail bond terminal



Oct. 12,1937. A. E. BRICKMAN ET AL 2,095,592

RAIL BOND TERMINAL FiLed June 13, 1936 [now 6502's;

444M 5. BE/CK/Wfi/V 00d 65056514. ciLweo/v.

Patented Oct. 12, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RAIL BOND TERMINAL poration of New Jersey Application June 13, 1936, Serial No. 85,159

1 Claim.

This invention relates to rail bonds and particularly to their terminals, one of the objects being to provide terminals capable of being installed in very shallow rail recesses. Other objects may be inferred.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, which illustrates a specific example of a rail bond having a terminal embodying the features of the present invention:

Figure 1 is a top view.

Figure 2 is a side view.

Figure 3 is the bond with its terminal being installed in a relatively shallow rail recess.

This bond includes an electric conductor strand 1 to the end of which a terminal is die- 7 cast. This terminal provides a rail-connecting part in the form of a projecting concavo-convex cup 2 that is relatively shallow and has its concave surface facing away from the remainder of the terminal. This remainder provides a conductor strand engaging portion 3, a neck 4 interconnecting the latter and the cup 2, and a force-receiving portion providing a surface 5 which faces oppositely respecting the cup 2 and is arranged to project slightly from the portion 3.

The surface 5, the neck 4 and the cup 2 are all of circular cross-sections and are all concentric with one another. The neck 4 is of considerably less diameter than the cup 2 so as not to interfere with easy deformation of the relatively thin walls of the latter. As previously mentioned, the terminal may be die-cast to the strand I whereby all of the mentioned elements are simultaneously formed as an integral unit.

Figure 3 shows the terminal with its cup 2 positioned in a relatively shallow recess 6 formed in the web of a rail 1. A hammer 8 is shown in the process of striking the surface 5 of the terminal, this resulting in the cup 2 being forced against the end of the recess, thus causing its expansion. The cup- 2 is sufficiently thin-walled to provide relatively sharp edges which dig into the side wall of the recess 6 when the cup is expanded. This provides very good electrical con- 5 tact in a secure manner without requiring the use of excessive force.

The advantage of the described terminal consists in the fact that it may be quite easily installed in a very shallow rail recess. So far as 10 is known, there is no rail bond in existence today that can be applied to recesses sufficiently shallow to be formed in the web of a rail. The advantages involved in not drilling a hole completely through the web of a rail are that the web 15 is not unduly weakened, there is little chance for Water to leak between the engaging surfaces of the terminal and the rail, etc.

It is to be understood that the cup is flattened slightly to cause its expansion. The degree it is flattened depends on the accuracy with which the cup fits the rail recess. By making the bottom of the recess concave or conical as shown it is possible to remove the terminal simply by further hammering, this causing the periphery of the cup to curl back and effecting a decrease in its diameter.

We claim:

An electric terminal including a thin-walled concavo-convex disk that is relatively shallow as compared to its diameter, a neck centrally extending from the convex side of said .disk and means for effecting an electrical connection with said neck, the latter being of relatively small diameter as compared to the diameter of said disk.

. ALAN E. BRICKMAN.

GEORGE A. GLEASON. 

